ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: jam · nail · clip · pop · stock · leaves · root · rule

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. clip — for paper
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pop — soda
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. root — the cause
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. rule — government
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. stock — goods
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. stock — shares
  13. root — of a word
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. clip — to cut
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. root — of a plant
  19. rule — a law
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. pop — music
  24. pop — to visit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com